Incoming chief of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Martin Andanar, said on Monday he hopes to improve government media platforms when he assumes office in July.
The 41-year-old Andanar, a news anchor and radio commentator from TV5, will replace Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., whose term ends on June 30.
“The scope of my job is to manage all the government media entities,” said Andanar, who joined Secretary Coloma during a press briefing in Malacañang Palace.
The government media entities under the PCOO are PTV 4, the Philippine Broadcasting Service, Radyo ng Bayan, the Philippine Information Agency, the Philippine News Agency, and the National Printing Office.
Andanar said he was impressed with the different bureaus under the PCOO but noted that he wants to make his mark as head of the agency.
“Yes, we will beef up. As we were touring Channel 4, Radyo ng Bayan, I guess the foundations have been laid and my job is to continue and even — well, they say that if you want a good legacy, you have to surpass the previous work,” said Andanar, who has crafted a National Communications Strategy, which he already presented to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.
“So, bukod doon sa telebisyon, bukod doon sa radyo, na we have to improve on that. We also want to build the online presence. We would like to build platforms. We are planning to print our own weekly tabloid. And, of course, it is not all cast in stone. Maraming pagbabago pa as we, the team, do our jobs,” he said.
Andanar also mentioned his plan to bring Duterte’s weekly TV and radio program to Manila and make it a national program.
“We still have to talk about this. It is essentially — the ‘Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa’ is a weekly TV and radio program the incoming President had in Davao, every Sunday. And it’s essentially a program that talks to the masa and addresses problems of the masa. It’s as transparent as you can get,” he said, adding that he has raised the matter to incoming Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco and incoming Presidential Management Staff Secretary Bong Go.
He also bared that the changes in the agency include a revamp.
“Yes, there will be revamp. I mean just like any new administration, magkakaroon ng mga pagbabago nang kaunti. Those who are good, the co-terminus appointments that have shown good performance, not necessarily will they be fired. The good ones will be retained,” Andanar said. PND (jm)
